Archive By Section - Associated Press

BOSTON - The anticipated release of thousands of never-seen government documents related to President John F. Kennedy's assassination has scholars and armchair detectives buzzing. Now, they're waiting to see whether President Donald Trump will block the release of files that could shed light on a tragedy that has stirred conspiracy theories for decades.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia on Tuesday announced that women will be allowed to drive for the first time in the ultra-conservative kingdom next summer, fulfilling a key demand of women's rights activists who faced detention for defying the ban.

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump vowed to deliver on a major tax cut for middle-class Americans on Tuesday as the White House and congressional leaders prepared to release details on a tax overhaul proposal that would slash the corporate rate and simplify the nation's tax code.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Puerto Rican officials rushed to evacuate tens of thousands of people downstream of a failing dam and said they could not reach more than half the towns in the U.S. territory as the massive scale of the disaster wrought by Hurricane Maria started to become clear on Friday.

MEXICO CITY - The wiggling fingers of a young girl trapped in the rubble of her collapsed school in Mexico City raised hopes among hundreds of rescuers working furiously Wednesday to try to free her - a drama that played out at dozens of buildings toppled by the powerful earthquake that killed at least 223 people.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - The strongest hurricane to hit Puerto Rico in over 80 years destroyed hundreds of homes, knocked out power across the entire island and triggered heavy flooding Wednesday in an onslaught that could plunge the U.S. territory deeper into financial crisis.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Hurricane Maria grew into an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm Monday as it barreled toward a potentially devastating collision with islands in the eastern Caribbean, and forecasters warned it was likely to become even stronger.

Rising sea levels and fierce storms have failed to stop relentless population growth along U.S. coasts in recent years, a new Associated Press analysis shows. The latest punishing hurricanes scored bull's-eyes on two of the country's fastest growing regions: coastal Texas around Houston and resort areas of southwest Florida.

As Irma's misery grows in scope and scale, so does its death toll. The storm, at one point the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the open Atlantic, eventually claimed dozens of lives as it tore up the Caribbean and the southeastern United States. Still more are dying in its aftermath.

ATLANTA - Irma's deadly rampage is over but authorities say the risk of deaths and injuries rises significantly after natural disasters. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says all kinds of hazards can endanger storm survivors, returning evacuees, emergency responders and cleanup crews. "The aftermath of disasters such as Hurricanes Harvey and Irma can be just as dangerous as the storms themselves," notes CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald. And Orlando Fire Department Lt. Aaron Rhodes, notes stress and fatigue can lead to trouble after a disaster: "For one, people get tired, people get frustrated and start cutting corners."

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. - Eight patients at a sweltering nursing home died after Hurricane Irma knocked out the air conditioning, raising fears Wednesday about the safety of Florida's 4 million senior citizens amid power outages that could last for days.

CHICAGO (AP) - Taking hormone pills for several years after menopause didn't shorten older women's lifespans, according to the longest follow-up yet of landmark research that transformed thinking on risks and benefits of a once popular treatment.

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) - Hurricane Irma's leading edges whipped palm trees and kicked up the surf as the storm spun toward Florida with 125 mph winds Saturday on a projected new track that could put Tampa - not Miami - in the crosshairs.